Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-02-10
BLEW THEM UP.
A Yankee Graft Astonishes Some
Chinese Pirates.

In 1875, owing to the wreck of Bos-
ton brig in the China Sea, was left in
Hong Kong in pretty bad shape. After
| had carried a flag of distress, as you
might say, for two weeks, an English
man offered to let me work my passage
to Liverpool, but as l was about to ac-
cept it ran across a countryman who
had berth for me. One of the largest
trading houses in Canton at that time
was composed of three Americans, and
they owned two small steamers and
three or four sail craft. These vessels
were employed in collecting goods
from the various islands to the South
east, and some of the voyages extended
up the Yellow Sea as far as Teng-chow
just at that time the firm had come
into possession of new steamer, and
she was about to make her first voyage.
There had been trouble with piratical
craft, and the steamer had been fitted
out to take care of herself. She car
ried two siX-pounders, twenty Ameri-
can cavalry carbines, a score of re-
volvers and was fixed to throw hot wa
ter over boarders. Her compliment of
men was fifteen, of whom the cook,
steward and three firemen were natives.
All others were Americans and English
men. The supercargo was an Ameri-
can, who could rattle of the Chinese
1nt n Of
and the captain and some of the Others
could "smatter' more or less.
Our first voyage was to be up the
Yellow Sea, and we carried u load Of
American and English goods. The
cargo well deserved the name of "mis.
cellaneous.n There were muskets
fish, spears, sole leather, tinware, look
Eyeglasses, calicoes, buttons, stone
ware, lamps, fish nets, groceries, axes
and almost every thing else you cal
think of, and the supercargo also ear
ried money to purchase what we coulC
not traffic for. We were to pick up il
exchange whatever foreign markets
called for in Canton, which included
teas, rice, several species of nuts, dye
stutfs, roots, banks, skins, &c.
| was in luck to secure the place o
mate, for Captain Taborw was a splendi(
fellow and the crew was one whic
could be depended on. We had tire,
or four men who understood the hand
ling of the siX-pounders, from had beer
sent over from the United States, ant
with the supply of small arms at han,
we felt ourselves match for any thin,
except a regular gun-boat. We 90
away in good shape, ran up between
the coast and the island of Formosa
and then steered to the northeast +
fetch the Lioo-Kioo Islands, which ar
seven or eight in number and deal il
ginseng, sarsaparilla, and other medi
cal roots. We stopped day at Ike
Lung, which is at the northern end Q
Formosa, and almost opposite Foo
chow, on the mainland, and while her
il was noticed that the native member
of our crew were very thick with a lo
of suspicious characters who wer
hanging about us the greater part G
the day. The supercargo overhear
them discussing our voyage and maxi
ing many inquiries, and when he spoke c
thematter to the steward that pig-taile
gentleman explained that all our NJ
tivcs were related to the strangers VIII
had been hanging about, and of eours
the latter took an interest in them.
l don't know Chinese character q
well as some of the others. and wa
therefore somewhat surprised to hea
the captain and supercargo diseussin
the impotence of the natives aboar
before we had left Ke-Lung by fit
miles. The firemen had given the ell
gineer trouble, and the steward had
certain sort of impudence in his obed
ence to commands. | did not kno
until now that gang of twenty {
more of the fellows at Ke-Lung had a
tempted to induce the captain to Civ
them passage to the island of TseeuSal
which we meant to visit. They had O
fered big passage money and were vii
ing to put up with any aeeommOd
tons. but he mistrusted them, Al
firmly declined to have one